Our winter and spring calendar is already filling up with everything from a Hollywood-style awards party, to a fashion show, to large-scale food drives. Please take a look and see if there is something that interests you enough to want to be involved. And thank you for your generosity for the past two-and-a-half decades. Without you there would be no Foodbank.

This is the January edition of Idaho Foodbytes, The Idaho Foodbank's electronic newsletter, Volume VIII, Number 1.

-- David Proctor

January Contents
1. Longhorn Donation Provides Valuable Protein
2. Foodbank Will Host Boise's Hollywood Awards Party
3. Western States’ "Dump Hunger" Campaign Seeks 75,000 Pounds of Food
4. CBS 2 and Bronco Motors Ready Third Annual Winter Food Drive
5. Feeding the 5,000 Families Ready for Twelfth Year
6. Idaho Foodbank Sets New Food Distribution Record
7. Foodbank Urges Destruction of Recalled Peanut Butter Products
8. Feinstein Announces 12th Annual $1 Million Giveaway
9. Volunteers Give of Themselves During Day of Service
10. Gallery of Giving: The Can-Do Menorah
11. Letter to the Foodbank
12. Fact of the Month: Food Insecurity
13. Quote of the Month: Kofi Annan
14. The Foodbank's 2008-9 Feeding Hope Calendar

Longhorn Donation Provides
Valuable Protein

By Sara Baker

Santa came to The Idaho Foodbank with a big sack of Longhorn cattle this year.

In November, Dean Goodner contacted the Idaho Foodbank to coordinate the extraordinary donation of 18 head of Longhorn cattle in the name of the Idaho Texas Longhorn Producers Association.

Donations of this sort are extremely rare and enormously valuable because protein is such a difficult commodity to obtain. At five ounces per serving, this donation will provide the main course for 19,240 meals.

Each year, the Idaho Texas Longhorn Producers Association completes a community project. Goodner, who is president of the organization, chose to donate Longhorns to The Idaho Foodbank to provide heart-healthy lean beef to those who are going through a hard time.

"The beef is hay- and grass-fed, free range, with no hormones and no steroids," Goodner says. In fact, he adds, Longhorn beef has fewer calories, less fat and less cholesterol than even white-meat chicken.

The Idaho Texas Longhorn Producers Association has been established in the Treasure Valley for two years. In 2008, members participated in six calf scrambles, a multitude of parades and shows, and the annual Wagon Days celebration in Ketchum. Longhorns can be very gentle, and some have been halter-bred so that children can ride them at fairs.

Our great thanks to Dean and the Idaho Texas Longhorn Producers Association for this important and much-needed donation. For more information about the association, you can contact Dean Goodner via email at dean@bestlonghorns.com or by phone at 890-0760.

Donations of any size mean a great deal. Just click here to start the process...

Sunday, February 22

Foodbank Will Host Boise's
Hollywood Awards Party

February awards parties have become an annual tradition for people who love movies. Friends gather and spend an evening watching the glitz and glamour on Hollywood's biggest night. This year, The Idaho Foodbank will throw its own Awards Night in Boise, and you are invited. The party will be at the Grove Hotel, Sunday, Feb. 22, complete with a red carpet for guests to walk.

This fundraiser for the Foodbank will start with the red carpet at 6 p.m., and the show will start at 6:30 p.m. There will be trivia, entertainment, food, photos, a raffle and a celebrity costume contest. And, of course, the awards on two big screens.

Tickets are $25 and can be ordered from the Foodbank. They will also be sold the night of the event for $30. Space is limited, so call Shauna Spencer at 336-9643, ext. 259 for more information. See you there.

Click here to find out more about hunger in Idaho...

Western States’ "Dump Hunger" Campaign
Seeks 75,000 Pounds of Food

With the increasing demand for food and food banks across the region facing a drop in donations, Western States Equipment Company is holding a Dump Hunger campaign in partnership with The Idaho Foodbank and other food banks.

The campaign runs through February 6, and seeks to secure enough food to fill the bed of a Caterpillar 730 dump truck, the industry’s largest payload vehicle in its class, capable of holding 75,000 pounds.

"We could not sit idly by while food bank pantries in our community are running bare," says Western States President Tom Harris. The Dump Hunger campaign originated when the company chose to forgo its annual holiday lunch and instead support this effort to help those in need.

"The response from the community thus far has been incredible, and our employees have gone above and beyond to make this Dump Hunger food drive successful," he says. "With the need in our communities greater than ever, we are doing everything we can to step it up and get to the 75,000 pound goal."

Through January 23, the 13 Western States branches have gathered over 57,000 pounds of food. During the remaining weeks of the Dump Hunger campaign, Western States welcomes non-perishable food donations at any of their branch locations in Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming.

Monetary donations will also be accepted in a form of a check made out to The Idaho Foodbank. Every $1 donated will represent five pounds of food. Western States will also match the dollar value of all the food collected, with a cash donation of up to $15,000.

Three young stars of the Dump Hunger campaign are the Allen children – Kylee 5, Noel 8, and Austin 9 – who went door to door and collected 280 pounds. Their food drive was so effective, they will be featured as "Seven's Heroes" on KTVB Channel 7, Sunday night at 10 p.m.

"I couldn’t be prouder," says dad Jason Allen. "The kids have gotten so much attention for their hard work, they are overwhelmed with pride. And to think they did it all while smiling and having fun the whole time."

Learn much more about the Western States drive with a click right here...

February 16-27

CBS 2, Bronco Motors and Banner Bank Ready Third Annual Winter Food Drive

We are very pleased to announce that CBS 2 – with help from Bronco Motors and Banner Bank – will once again undertake a major winter food drive. The third annual CBS 2 Food Drive will run from Feb. 16 to Feb. 27 and conclude with the Drive, Drop and Donate event on Feb. 27.

This is an especially important food drive because it comes after the holidays when donations drop off and food supplies dwindle.

From Feb. 16-27, donations can be made at any Bronco Motors location:
§ Bronco Motors Nissan in Nampa at the Idaho Center Auto Mall
§ Bronco Motors Hyundai on the corner of 27th and Main in Boise
§ Bronco Motors Hyundai at 9250 W. Fairview at Maple Grove in Boise

On Friday, Feb. 27, CBS 2 will hold a day-long Drive, Drop and Donate event in their parking lot at 140 N. 16th St. in Boise. It will be easy for anyone who lives, works or plays downtown to just drive through and drop off a donation of non-perishable food. If you can't make it downtown, all Bronco Motors locations and Banner Banks will accept donations as well.

We are most grateful to the staff and management at CBS 2, Bronco Motors and Banner Bank for their compassion and continued dedication. We are looking forward to a great food drive.

Food drives are especially important this time of year, after the holidays. Click here for your own food drive kit...

In 2006, children from the City Creek Ward dressed in Biblical attire to celebrate the conclusion of the Feeding the 5,000 Families drive.

Began in a Pocatello Sunday School Class

Feeding the 5,000 Families Ready for Twelfth Year
The largest interfaith food and fund drive in Eastern Idaho will kick off this month and run during the Lenten period through mid-April. Feeding the 5,000 Families will begin its twelfth year with a concert at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. and will include a progressive dinner, a prayer vigil, a food-canning project and a food drive.

Over the past 11 years, the faith-based Feeding the 5,000 Families has gathered more than 1 million food items and involved more than 40 congregations – truly a remarkable track record.

Feeding the 5,000 Families began when a Sunday school class at Pocatello's United Methodist Church decided to gather and donate 5,000 food items. Under the leadership of Linda Jones, the drive grew into an extraordinary multi-faith effort.

Lynda Montgomery will head the drive this year, and the theme is "When you did it unto the least of these." Interested volunteers can contact Lynda at 233-3229.

Here is this year's schedule. All activities are in Pocatello unless otherwise indicated.

§ February 28 – Concert at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7 p.m.

§ March 14 – Progressive dinner, begins with appetizers at First Presbyterian Church at 5:30 p.m. and continues with soup and salad at Central Christian Church, the main course at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and concludes with dessert at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

§ March 28 – Prayer vigil at First Presbyterian Church, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

§ March 31 – Cannery project, 6 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Idaho Falls

§ April 11 – Grocery store food drive, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

§ April 27 – Closing ceremonies. The Idaho Foodbank.

If you or anyone you know needs food assistance in Eastern Idaho, here is where you can get it...

More Than Six Million Pounds

Idaho Foodbank Sets
New Food Distribution Record

The Idaho Foodbank distributed a record high 6.1 million pounds of food to hungry Idaho families in 2008. This is an increase of more than 800,000 pounds from the 5.3 million distributed in calendar year 2007.

As it begins its 25th year, the Foodbank system has provided 76 million pounds of food to hungry Idaho families since 1984 in pursuit of its vision that no one in Idaho will go hungry.

Roy Lacey, the Foodbank's Interim President and CEO, said the record high distribution was a reflection of the organization’s two-prong approach to fighting hunger: to get as much food as possible to its more-than 200 partner agencies so they can serve their communities, and for the Foodbank to take food directly into smaller communities that are not able to support food pantries.

"This increase in the amount of food distributed is a sure sign of our uncertain economic times in Idaho and the ability of the wonderful Foodbank staff members to quicken their steps to provide for those who request assistance," Roy said. "A good example is our new Mobile Pantry system, where the Foodbank has begun direct distribution to clients in small rural communities that have no or inadequate access to free food. We also need to extend a sincere thank you to all our donors, both of money and product, who allow us to continue to lead the effort to end hunger in Idaho."

You can add to our food distribution if you hold your own food drive. Here are some ideas...

Volunteers from the Idaho State University Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences spent an evening at the Foodbank in Pocatello pulling and destroying peanut butter snacks. The snacks had to be removed from previously prepared bags of food before the food could be distributed to children in the BackPacks for Kids program.
(Photos courtesy of Julie Hillebrant, ISU Photographic Services)

Products May be Contaminated with Salmonella

Foodbank Urges Destruction of Recalled
Peanut Butter Products

The Idaho Foodbank is urging all of its 200-plus partner agencies, food recipients and the general public to destroy all recalled products from certain manufacturers that may contain peanut butter contaminated with salmonella.

The list of recalled product seems to grow by the day, but the following are some of the companies that have voluntarily issued recalls on items containing peanut butter:

Zone Perfect, Nutri Pals, Weis, Blantons, Dinners Ready, POCA PAC, Grande Gourmet, Nutri-Systems, Ready Pac Food, Pet Smart, Natures Path, Country Maid, Evening Rise Bread, Clif Bar & Co., Kroger, Abbott Nutrition, Meijer, Ralcamp Frozen Bakery, Peanut Corp. of America, McKee Foods, Perry's Ice Cream, HyVee Inc., Dinners Ready Meridian and King Nut Peanut Butter.

All items containing peanut butter from the above manufacturers and those listed on the Food and Drug Administration web site below must be destroyed. One way to destroy them is to open the packages and mix the product with other garbage to ensure that it is inedible. Another method is to open the packages, put the contents in a plastic bag, crush the product and dispose of it.

"As The Idaho Foodbank continues to be the leader in ending hunger in Idaho, it is imperative that we also use due diligence in notifying the public of massive recalls of this type," said Roy Lacey, the Foodbank’s Interim President & CEO, "Many of the products listed may be considered healthy snack items that are favored by mothers for their children. All peanut butter snack items from the companies listed above and many others should be destroyed. Please remember that it is better to err on the side of caution."

For a complete list of recalled products, this link will take you to the FDA web site...

To Assist Anti-Hunger Groups

Feinstein Announces 12th Annual
$1 Million Giveaway

Alan Shawn Feinstein is ready to give away his money – again. For the twelfth straight year, the Rhode Island philanthropist will divide $1 million among hunger-fighting agencies like the Foodbank as a way to help us raise funds during March and April 2009.

Anyone can participate – church, school group, business or individual. The more donations made and money raised between March 1 and April 30, the more of that $1 million the Foodbank will receive. This is a great time to plan your campaign.

The donations can include cash, checks and food items (valued at $1.00 per item or pound), as well as pledges.

Feinstein’s past $1 million challenges have helped anti-hunger groups like the Foodbank raise $940 million nationwide.

You can become a partner in the most successful grassroots campaign to fight hunger of all time. Contact Scot Sinclair at ssinclair@idahofoodbank.org or 336-9643, ext. 232.

Our web site offers several easy ways to donate. Just use this link...

(Left) In the Boise warehouse, volunteers of all ages formed an assembly line to fill plastic bags with food for the BackPack for Kids program. The bags will then be placed in the children's backpacks for them to take home over school weekends. (Photo courtesy of United Way of Treasure Valley)
(Right) In McCammon, third grade teacher Joni Sorensen got 26 pies thrown at her by students at the culmination of Mountain View Elementary's annual food drive. She volunteered for the annual pie-throwing ritual to reward the students for their work on the food drive. (Photo courtesy of Lance Rubio)

Volunteers Give of Themselves
During Day of Service

The first annual "Renewing American Together" national day of service was a spectacular success at the Foodbank.

The day came about when then-president-elect Barack Obama, called upon all Americans to join forces on Monday, Jan. 19, for a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

At the Boise warehouse, more than 50 volunteers packed food into 1,398 backpacks, which will supply our BackPacks for Kids program. BackPacks for Kids delivers backpacks full of food to children at risk of going hungry over weekends during the school year. In addition to the wonderful volunteer work, donors brought in 3,000 pounds of badly needed food.

In Pocatello, 74 volunteers at our new warehouse repacked 8,000 pounds of beans from large industrial containers into bags small enough to be used by a family. They also sorted and readied for distribution 6,000 pounds of food brought in by food drives.

And in McCammon, the 250 Mountain View Elementary students finished their annual food drive and brought in 1,000 pounds. As a reward, students from each class were selected by their peers to throw pies at one of the faculty. This year third grade teacher Joni Sorensen volunteered and was the target of 26 pies.

Thanks to everyone who participated and donated. You got this new tradition off to a very meaningful start.

You can volunteer any time of year. You can sign up on our web site. Just click here...

Gallery of Giving

As part of its Chanukah food drive in December, the Chabad Jewish Center sponsored what was called the "Can-Do Menorah." The structure was built at 20th Century Lanes in Boise out of 750 cans of food, which were then donated to the Foodbank. Our thanks to the Center for a wonderfully generous idea.
Every dollar can provide three nutritious meals. Just click here for our donation page...

Letter to the Foodbank

I'm sorry I can't give more right now. I'm unemployed myself (8 weeks) & am the sole provider of my family. I'm happy I could give six bags of food when the scouts collected and to give what I can today. Thank you for helping so many! I tell my child that we can always help others with what we have – to share – because we still have a roof over our head & food to eat. Thank you.

Would you like to donate, too? Just use this link...

Food Stamp Spending Will Be $50 Billion in 2009

Congressional forecasters predict the recession will drive up the cost of the Food Stamp program (now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to $50 billion in 2009, a 27% increase from 2008. Economic slowdowns are usually matched with increased SNAP/Food Stamp spending as more people apply for the benefit.

"The cost really has gone up because more people are out of work," said Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Tom Harkin, Iowa Democrat and chair of the panel overseeing SNAP.

High unemployment rates will continue over the next few years, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which also said economic recovery could begin in 2010. The CBO also said that over the next ten years, SNAP/Food Stamps would cost $86 billion more than was forecast in September 2008. According to the Food Research and Action Center, the October 2008 SNAP/Food Stamp enrollment was 3.9 million people more than in October 2007.

For more information about hunger in Idaho, just click here...

Fact of the Month

There are 61,000 households in Idaho in which members are food insecure, that is, they are unsure of their food supply.

(Food Research and Action Center)

Without you, there is no Foodbank. And we hope you will continue to help feed hungry families. Just click here to start the process...

Quote of the Month

"There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they grow up in peace."

Kofi Annan

Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2007, co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.

Care to lend a hand in the battle against hunger? Here's the link to our volunteer page...

The Foodbank's 2009 Feeding Hope Calendar

This is a wonderful time of year for a food drive. The holidays are over, but the battle against hunger is not. Check our web site at www.idahofoodbank.org/fooddrive.htm for ideas or call Julie Rudolph at 336-9643, ext. 257. Remember, hunger knows no season for families across our state. Thank you.

February 6 - Conclusion of Western States Equipment Company's Dump Hunger campaign. Information: www.westernstatescat.com

February 12-March 2 – Boise State Valentine's Food Drive. 426-1422 or 426-1578.

February 13 - Mac and Cheese Night at the Idaho Steelheads. Boxes of mac and cheese will be handed out. Use them as noisemakers, then donate them to The Idaho Foodbank. 383-0080. Treasure Valley

February 16-27 - 3rd Annual CBS 2 Food Drive. Drop canned food at Bronco Motors locations in Nampa and Boise. Treasure Valley

February 20-21 - Rotating Tongues 2 benefit concert features 25 bands over two nights at the Visual Arts Collective, 3638 Osage Street, Garden City. Doors open at 6:30, music starts at 7:00. $7 at the door or $5 with a non-perishable food donation. www.visualartscollective.com/rotatingtongues2. Treasure Valley

February 22 – Awards Night in Boise, The Idaho Foodbank's Awards Party at the Grove Hotel. Fundraiser for the Foodbank celebrates Hollywood's biggest night. Red carpet at 6 p.m., show starts at 6:30 p.m. Trivia, entertainment, food, photos, raffle and celebrity costume contest. Tickets $25 advance and $30 at the door. Shauna Spencer - 336-9643. Treasure Valley

February 27 – Drive, Drop and Donate – The conclusion of the 3rd annual CBS 2 food drive. Drop food all day at the CBS 2 studios, 140 N. 16th St. Treasure Valley

February 28 – Hardcore Against Hunger – Local musicians "band" together to fight hunger. Bring non-perishable food items to The Knitting Factory and buy the first PBR or soda for 50 cents. Fault Paradox, Final Underground, Kryterium and more. Doors at 6:30 show at 7:30. 343-8883. Treasure Valley

February 28–March 12 – Feeding the 5,000 Families annual food and fund drive. Theme this year: "When you did it unto the least of these." For all Feeding the 5,000 events, contact Lynda Montgomery 233-3229. Pocatello

February 28 – Feeding the 5,000 Families concert at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7 p.m. Pocatello.

March 1–April 30 – Feinstein Foundation $1 Million Spring Campaign to Fight Hunger. Statewide

March 2-6 - Peanut Butter and Jelly Food Drive in Boise schools. Boise

March 7 - Peanut Butter and Jelly Food Drive at Albertsons stores. Treasure Valley

March 14 – Feeding the 5,000 Families progressive dinner starts at First Presbyterian Church, 5:30 p.m. Pocatello

March 15 - Benefit fashion show and dinner at Barbacoa restaurant, 276 Bobwhite Court (ParkCenter area). Doors open at 3:30 p.m. and six-course dinner at 5 p.m. Includes auction of the clothes and other items. Seating limited. Tickets are $50 for bar seats and $250 for full dinner. Information: 338-5000 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. or management@barbacoa-boise.com.

March 23-27 – Lunch Break for spring break. Free lunches at the YMCA Bench Branch in Boise, Boys and Girls Club in Nampa and the Salvation Army in Nampa.

March 28 – Feeding the 5,000 Families prayer vigil at First Presbyterian Church, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pocatello

March 31 – Feeding the 5,000 Families cannery project, 6 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Idaho Falls

April 11 – Feeding the 5,000 Families grocery store food drive, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pocatello

April 27 – Feeding the 5,000 Families closing ceremonies. The Idaho Foodbank. Pocatello

May 9 – National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive. 336-9643

September 10 – A Chefs' Affaire, Boise Centre on the Grove.

Your time and skills are like gold to us. Please volunteer now. Click here for information...

Thank You!
The Idaho Foodbank is a network of more than 200 non-profit agencies statewide, is an affiliate of Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network) and is proud to be supported by several United Ways in Idaho. Please consider helping us feed hungry Idahoans by donating online today at http://www.idahofoodbank.org/donate.htm.

You can use the handy form at the bottom to forward this edition of Idaho Foodbytes to any of your friends who want more information about hunger and poverty in Idaho, want to know more about the Foodbank or would enjoy photos of recent Foodbank events.

To see our past newsletters and get much more information about who we are and what we do, check our award-winning web site: http://www.idahofoodbank.org (First place, Idaho Press Club 2005 and 2007). You are also welcome to stop by our three warehouses: Boise, 3562 S. TK Avenue; Lewiston, 3600 E. Main; and Pocatello, 555 S. 1st Avenue.

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Thank you for supporting The Idaho Foodbank in the fight against hunger for the past 25 years. Idaho is the 24th hungriest state as measured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has the sixth highest rate of childhood hunger. Your donations of time, food and cash meant that with the help of more than 200 partner agencies your Foodbank could distribute 6.1 million pounds of badly needed food to Idaho families in 2008 and 76 million pounds since 1984.

Sincerely,
The Team at The Idaho Foodbank